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Khasyahar Sanjabi

Home Away from Home

Iranian student has no regrets enrolling in Nilai U & is captivated by its campus serenity.

Khasyahar Sanjabi was adamant that he would not make the same mistake twice. Having arrived in these shores six years ago, the young Iranian had enrolled in a pre-university programme and then a Mechatronics degree at a local private university in the Klang Valley. This was based on the recommendations of an agent in Teheran. However, after two years, Khasyahar found his grades slipping to the point of failing and he was horribly uncomfortable in the ultra-crowded urban setting of the city campus.

Khasyahar informed his parents that he wanted to find an alternative, and they agreed seeing how miserable their son was. His online research led him to the quiet suburb of Putra Nilai and Nilai University's Business Faculty. "Having struggled to adapt to the fast-paced lifestyle in the city, I was keen to find an alternative," confides the 23-year-old from Teheran. "I knew that for me to flourish academically I needed a peaceful environment and I knew I had found that place when I arrived at Nilai U. The birds chirping and the greenery was so calming, I knew I had found the right place for me."

Institution sorted, Khasyahar was very careful about his choice of programmes as he did not want to repeat his earlier mistake. "I should have realised early on that I was not suited to the sciences and specifically engineering-related programmes. I could not understand the lessons and I was thoroughly demotivated, which affected my grades," he recalls. He decided to enrol in the BBA (Hons) in International Business as he envisages a career in a multi-national corporation which requires a lot of travel. "I love to travel and I thought my degree should facilitate that dream. I also realised that this degree affords me plenty of employment opportunities both at home and abroad."

Khasyahar 's journey abroad began when a family friend who had a child studying in Malaysia shared their positive experiences with his parents. At the time, he admits that the thought of studying abroad had never crossed his mind and he was determined to enrol in one of the major Iranian universities to read law. His mother, however, feared that her youngest son would be drawn to the firebrand politics that thrived in these institutions and might end up imprisoned or worse. "When my parents first broached the subject with me, I was quite excited as I love to travel and this was a perfect opportunity for me to experience different cultures and places," he said.

Six years on, Khasyahar now regards Malaysia and Nilai U as a home away from home. Initially, he found the multiple languages and accents bewildering, especially in lectures and group discussions. He has since adapted and speaks several languages fluently, including Malay as well as a smattering of Mandarin and Cantonese. The local weather and food was similarly conquered despite initial difficulties. "I now feel very much at home, so much so when I return to Iran, I find myself missing all things Malaysian – the glorious food, tropical downpour, and even, bad drivers!"

Once he made himself comfortable, Khasyahar began to thrive academically and he credits Nilai U lecturers for their boundless energy to pass on their knowledge. "The lecturers at Nilai U's Business Faculty are very dedicated and this can be seen from the many hours spent after class helping students improve," he says admiringly. His advice to all international students is pretty straightforward - "check out Nilai U if you want a peaceful environment for you to thrive academically. City campuses are full of distractions and are also very expensive. Nilai U offers you plenty of programmes to choose from and a campus that is perfect for higher studies."

Nilai U was established in 1997 and is located just 30-minutes south of Kuala Lumpur City Centre and a mere 15 from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. All of its programmes are validated by the Ministry of Education and accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. The latter organisation has rated Nilai U as 'Setara 5/Excellent'. For more information, please go to www.nilai.edu.my or call 06-8502308 / 07-2262336 / 03-79603089.